If we are to inquire how man came into the world, when he came, what he has been doing, how he developed, and whither the human trail leads, we shall encounter many unsolved theories. Indeed, the facts of his life are suggestive of the mystery of being. If it be suggested that he is "part and parcel" of nature and has slowly arisen out of lower forms, it should not be a humiliating thought, for his daily life is dependent upon the lower elements of nature. The life of every day is dependent upon the dust of the earth. The food he eats comes from the earth just the same as that of the hog, the rabbit, or the fish. If, upon this foundation, he has by slow evolution built a more perfect form, developed a brain and a mind which give him the greatest flights of philosophy, art, and religion, is it not a thing to excite pride of being? Could there be any greater miracle than evolving nature and developing life? Indeed, is there any greater than the development of the individual man from a small germ not visible to the naked eye, through the egg, the embryo, infant, youth, to full-grown man? Why not the working of the same law to {81} the development of man from the beginning. Does it lessen the dignity of creation if this is done according to law? On the other hand, does it not give credit to the greatness and power of the Creator if we recognize his wisdom in making the universe, including man, the most important factor, according to a universal plan worked out by far-reacting laws? SUBJECTS FOR FURTHER STUDY 1. Evidences of the great antiquity of man. 2. Physical and mental traits of the anthropoid apes. 3. The life and culture of the Neanderthal Race. 4. What are the evidences in favor of the descent of man from a single progenitor? 5. Explain the law of differentiation as applied to plants and animals. 6. Compare in general the arts of man in the Old Stone Age with those of the New Stone Age. 7. What has been the effect of the study of prehistoric man on modern thought as shown in the interpretation of History? Philosophy? Religion? [1] See Diagram, p. 59. [2] See Haeckel, Schmidt, Ward, Robinson, Osborn, Todd. [3] See Osborn, _Men of the Old Stone Age_. [4] See Chapter II. [5] After Osborn. Read from bottom up. [6] Estimates of Neanderthal vary from 150,000 to 50,000 years ago. [7] See p. 64. {82} CHAPTER V THE ECONOMIC FACTORS OF PROGRESS